Snap hook



May 26, 1925.

H. G. HANCocK SNAP HOOK Filed May 21, 1924 Patented May 26, 1925.

UNITED sTATEs 1538389 PATENT OFFICE.

HORACE G. iI-IANGOCK: QF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, .ASSIGNOR TO NORTH J'UDD MANUFACTIURING COMPANY, OF NEW BRITAIN, ONNECTICUT.

y sNAr HooK.

Application filed May 21, 1924. Serial No. 714,932.

To aZZ whom it may conoern:

Be it known that I, HomerJ G. HANCocK,

a Citizen of the United States, and resident of New Britain, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Snap Hooks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of t-he invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is: to provide a snap hook of neat appearance which can be produced very cheaply without any loss of efficiency, and in which the Spring will be held firmly in place without the use of any lugs, pins or other elements extending across or over its inner surface or bight. `The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing and consists in certain novel feai tures which will be hereinafter first fully described and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, Figure l is a top plan view of my improved snap hook;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of "the same; r

Figures 3 and 4 are longitudinal sections showing successive steps in the manufacturing process.

The body 1 of the hook terminates at one end in a bill 2 and at it-s opposite end in a transverse strap eye or loop 3 of any preferred form, being a single integral structure. of malleable iron, cast brass or other metal which may be bent somewhatv in the process of manufacture. The butt end of the body rises from the loopll 3, as shown at- 4, and is in the form of an arcuate web bending forwardly and termianting at its forward end or edge in a pendent lip 5 while its rear or lower end or edge initially extends downwardly or rearwardly as a substantially straight rib or tooth 6, as shown in Frig. 3. In advance of the web 4, a longitudinal slot 7 is formed through the body, the front end wall 8 of the slot being inclined downwardly from front to rear and being formed at its lower rear end with a transverse head .or rib 9 and a. transverse groove or seat 10 mmediately in advance of the rib or bead. The end of the bill 2 is widenedsomewhat and is formed with a recess or seat 11 in its under side to be engaged by the Vfree end of the spring tongue 12. The tongue s formed from a strip of relsilient or spring-tempered metal which is web 4 and a kink 15 is formed in the Spring v at the base of the tongue tobe engaged by the lip 5. The. arm 18 hasits terminal bent transversely to define the opposed lfinks 16 and 17 adapted to seatrespectively over the bead 9 and in the groove 10.

In assembling the spring with the body, the bight or bend 14 is inserted through the upper mouth of the slot 7 and positioned against the web 4 with the kink 15 engaged with the lip 5, the tonguel being sprung into engagement with the seat 11 andthe kinks 16 and 17 being properly seated as shown in F igures 3 and 4. After the spring has been thus fitted in place, the tooth 6 is bent forward as shown in Figure 4 so that the entire bight or bend of the spring will be supported and braced, the tooth being substantially flush with the arm 13 and the side walls of the slot 7 constituting cheeks which engage the edgesof the Spring and prevent sidewise movement of the same. VVhen the tooth. 6 is bent forward as described, the spring becomes locked in' place without any extraneous fastening devices or any fulcrum element-s being inserted across it or over its edge-s from the side walls of the slot, and a cheap but neat and efficient snap hook is produced.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A snap hook comprising a body having a web closing its back end, and having an inset front face and a tongue consisting solely of a doubled spring strip having its entire bight snugly sea-ted against andheld by the insert front face of said web.`

2. A snap hook comprising a body having a longitudinal slot and a bendable web consnugly seated against and supported by the front face of said web, the bfranches ofthe Spring being lookingly engaged With the body at the upper front end of the Web and the lower end of the front Wall of the slot;

3. A Snap hook comprising a body having a Web constituting its baok end, said Web having a conoave front face, a transverse inturned lip at the upper forward end of said Web, the body having a longitudinal slot in front of the Web, a transverse bead at the lower end of the front Wall of the slot and a transverse groove in said Wall immediately in front of said head, and afltongue consisting of a Spring strip doubled on itself and having its bight seated snugly in the con-4 cave face of said Web there being a transverse kink in the upper branoh of the Spring to be engaged by said transverse inturned lip, and the lower branoh of the Spring terininating in reverse bends 4engaging over said bead and in said groove respeotively.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

HORACE G. HANCOCK.

fitnesses F. J. VVARD,

A. H. PARKER. 

